Automobile timer



70,584 R. LOCKSTEIN AUTOMOBILE TIMER Filed y 20, 1926 I7 gnmml'oz Lu mks, E in May 22, 1928. 1,670,584

R. LOCKSTEIN AUTOMOBILE T IMER Filed May 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5157K A54 gwoe'ntoc D Lmukste'm Patented May 22, 1928.

* UNITED STATES RUDOLPH LOCKSTEIN, F GILLETT, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMOBILE TIMER.

Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to improvements in timer or distributer constructions for use in connection with the distribution of ignition to the spark plugs of internal combustion engines or the like.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved timer or distributer construction preferably adapted for use in connection with internal combustion engines, embodying a circuit maker and breaker or interrupter operable by means of a rotor which may be adjusted to synchronize the interrupter with particular vibratorv or non-vibratory induction coils.

' further object of this invention is the provision of an improved timer construction adapted for use in connection with Ford internal combustion engines, embodying improved means to use special non-vibratory or vibrator coils with or without batteries or magnetos, and including an improved adjusta-ble rotor arrangement foroperating an interrupter at a particular interval with respect to the current distribution to the various sparkplugs.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is an inside elevation of the improved timer construction, showing more particularly the interrupter, and cam means for operating the same, when the improved timer or distributer construction is used with a special non-vibratory induction coil.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1, with the interrupter shown closed and the cam in a different relation than illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line l l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing the rearrangement of the rotor on the cam shaft, when the improved distributor is to be used with a vibrating coil, to maintain the interrupter closed when the rotor contact is in contact wth one of the spark plug contacts of the timer.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view 1926. Serial No. 110,561.

taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 88 of Fi ure 7. e b

Figure 9 is a perspective'view ,of the cam shaft rotor.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the interrupter operatiing cam.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic representa tion of the manner in which the improved distributor is used in an ignition circuit which utilizes a battery and a special type of non-vibratory coil.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner in which the improved distributor is used in an ignition circuit utilizing a conventional vibratory coil, such as the Ford coil, which is run upon a magneto or battery.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred and modified features of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved timer or distributor construction, which comprises a supporting shell construction B adapted toreceive thereon a. terminal supporting cover plate C. A rotor D is detachably keyed upon the cam shaft E together with an interrupter cam sleeve F; the latter being adapted to synchonously 0perate an interrupter or breaker construction K in synchronism with the operation of the rotor with respect to the contacts of the cover plate'or member C, for the purpose of utilizing the timer construction under different circumstances.

In the Ford power plant construction the cam shaft E is horizontally positioned, extending through an opening 10 in the engine casing 11; the engine casing 11 circumferentially about the shaft providing an outwardly extending annular seating flange 12, within which the shell construction B is adapted to seat.

The shell construction B preferably comprises the hollow cylindrical shaped metal.

body portion 12, which is entirely open at one edge 13 thereof, adapted to seat within the socket 1 1 provided by the annular seating flange 12. At the opposite end the metal body portion 12 is annularly reduced at 15, and receives therein a fiber shell section 16, which may be of any approved in sulating material, comprising a wall 17 seated in the outer end portion of the shell body 12; the insulation portion or section 16 having an annular or, ,cy-igndrical shaped, ex-

' slidably abut, as will be subsequently described. Outwardly beyond the seat 21 the annular extension portionlt) is reduced to provide an outwardly facing annular seat 22, concentric withthe seat 21 and laterally thereof, upon which portions of the cover C may seat in a relation to be subsequently described. i

The cam or operating shaft E is horizon tally'located and is providedwith 'a'radial opening 24 therein, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, ada'ptedto receive a special type of pin 25 by means of which to anchor the'cam sleeve F and rotor D upon the shaft E. This special pin 25 preferably includes the shank portion 26,- and the head 27 which is preferably rectangular or polygonal, in shape, and extends laterally for a greater distance to one side of the axis of the shank '26 than to the other side.

"The breaker construction K of the improved timer is preferably supported by the shell construction B, and comprises a plate or metal discport-ion 30 secured upon the surface 31 of the wall 17 which faces within the compartment 33 of the metal shell portion 12. This metal plate or disc portion30 is secured at one end by a pin 34 to the insulation portion 16, and at its opposite end it is provided witha relatively long shank 36, sloping in an acute angular relation with respect to the plane of the disc 30,'and adapted to'eXte'nd diagonally thin the'wall 17 of the insulation shell portion 16', as illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, to position the screw threaded end of said shank 36 enteriorly of the shell construction B, for. adjustably receiving there-' on clamping nutsST by means of which to secure the terminal 38 of a conductor thereto. lVithin the compartment 3 3 of the shell-metalbody 12, the disc 30 is. provided with an outstanding flange 39which adjustably supports a conventional breaker pin or screw 30, adapted to cooperably associate with a breaker point 41 carried onthe free end of an interrupter lever 42, which is pivoted at its other end at 44 upon the wall 17 the shell insulation portion '16, within the pocket or compartment 33. Intermediate its ends the lever 42;" is provided with a segment or eam shaped piece 46 of -hard insulation, against which the cam projec- The will '17 or the" shell tions 50 of the cam sleeve F mayv cooperate,

during rotation of the shaft E, in order to move the breaker point 41 towards and away from point 40. At the pivot location 44 of the lever 42 a spring 53 is preferably connected intermediate its ends, and in such relation as to be sprung at one end against the innercircurnference of the metal shell portion 12, to ground the contact point 41 with the metal body 12 of the shell construction B, and at its other end being connected to the lever 42 beyond its pivot 44, to yieldably urge the segment 46 against the cam sleeve F. Y'

The cam sleeve preferably comprises the rr -l 7 sleeve portion 5,), having a passageuay 56 therethrough adapted to receive there through the camshaft E. This sleeve at one end has an integral cam construction 57, provided with the spaced cam extensions 50 thereabout which are elongated longitudinally of the sleeve 55. At the juncture of thesleeve portion 55 with the cam 57 an annular shoulder 58 is provided, against which the inner edge surface of the rotor D may abut. I p

The sleeve portion 55 of the cam sleeve construction F' has an elongated slot 60 therein opening from the edge 61 opposite the cam construction 57, and at a predetermined spaced relation about the sleeve 55 a circular opening 62 is also provided. Both the slot 60 and the opening 62 are adapted 1 to receive therethrough the locking shank 26 ofthe pin 25,'in order that the cam sleeve construction F -may be keyed in different relations about the shaft E,'for'operating the interrupter construc-tion K at different intervals with respect to the closing of cir cuits between the contact of the rotor-D and the contacts of the spark plugs which are carried by the cover plate C. Thus, briefly, when the invention is used with a non-vibratory coil, such as a special coil adapted to be used-with an interrupter, in a conventional battery circuit, the; pin

25 has its shank 26'received through the slot 7 60 of the sleeve F, in order to key. the sleeve constructioncF. upon the shaft E so that the cam extensions 50 will operate against the lever 42 to move the breaker points of the interruter construction K apart at the interval when the rotor contact comes into ongag-ement with the contacts of the spark plugs carried by the cover plate C; it being understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention relates that the interrupter K isused in the primary winding of the special type of coil designated by letter Min Figure 11 of the drawings, for the'purpose of "providing a powerful induced current.

Gn the other hand when the improved timer construction is adapted to be used with a vibrator type of coil R such as illustrated in Figure 12 of the drawings, it will of course be undesirable to use the interrupter construction K at the time when the circuits are closed to the various spark plugs, and under these circumst-ances the pin construetion 25 has its shank 26 slipped through the opening 62 of the sleeve 55 in order to'key the cam sleeve construction F on the shaft E so that the canr extensions will not come into contact for operating the interrupter lever -12 at the intervals when the circuits of the various spark plugsare made by therotor D since underv these circumstances thevibrator feature of the vibrator coil R will take care ofthe interruptionin the primary circuit for the purpose of producing the induced current The rotor construction D is illustrated in perspective in Figure 9 of the drawings, and the same comprises the substantially disc-shaped insulation body portion 70, which at the inner surface 71 thereof is provided withthe annular extension or flange 72 adapted to fit into the opening 20 in the insulation portion 16 of the shell construction B, in a somewhat snug fitting relation therein. A socket 73 is provided in the rotor D, inwardly from the end edge 74 of the annular portion 72. which extends up into the body 70 a predetermined distance, and into which socket 73 the outer end of the shaft E and the sleeve portion of the cam sleeve member Fare adapted to seat. The key 25 has a dual function in that the same in addition to keying the cam device F onthe 'shaftE also keys the rotor D to the shaft E, and to this end the rotor D is provided with a preferably polygonal recess 7 5 inwardly from the edge 74, facing the socket 73, adapted to, receive the eccentric head 27 of the pin construction 25, to key the rotor D in a detachable relation on the shaft E for rotation with the latter. hen the rotor D is in position, the surface 71 abuts the surface 21 of the shell construction B, and the entire rotor D lies inwardly of the outer edgeTT of the flange portion 19 of the shell insulation section 16. p

t The body portion of the rotor D is provided with an annular reduced extension at the outer end thereof, provided with a recess 81 inwardly of the outer surface 82 thereof; this recess extending from adjacent, the center of the rotor at a uniformly increasing widtlnthat is, the side edges of the recess.81 are divergent towards the outer circumference of the reducedportion 80, and in this recess 81 is adapted to be receiveda contact member 83, of any approved conducting material, which has an outer arcuate convex edge 84 concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotor D, but projecting outwardly a short distance beyond the outer circumference of the portion 80 in which thesaid contact is retained. This contact member 83 is held in place by means of a detachable screw or like securing member 86, which is also provided for the purpose of retaining a yieldable contact conductor arm'87 in posit-ion; the screw 80 being positioned eccentric in the rotor D so that the end 88 of the spring lies directly over the axis of rotation of the rotor D and inherently springs away from the rotor D and is adapted to engage a carbon or other central contact member 88 mounted on the cover plate or member C, as will be subse quently described. Disposed within the pocket or con'ipartment 88 provided by the flange 19 of the shell B, the rotor D has the outer circumference of its reduced portion 80 spaced with the inner circumference of the "flange 19 to provide an annular groove 00 which the arcuate edge 8 1 of the contact 83 faces.

The closure plate or member C for the timer or distributing construction preferably includes a preferably flat body portion 100, having at one side thereof an annular seating flange 101, thickened for the major width thereof, but reduced at its outer marginal portion to provide an edge 102 adapted to seat against the outwardly facing edge 103 formed at the juncture of the body portion 70 with the reduced portion 80 of the rotor D; the reduced marginal portion of the annular flange 101 being adapted to be received in the groove 90 between the outer circumference of the body portion 70 of the rotor D and the inner circumference of the flange 10 of the shell portion 16, as is illustrated in the drawings. Uniformly spaced contacts or segments 105 are carried by the cover plate or member C, being rigidly embedded in the body portion attheirinner ends, and extending transversely from the plane of said body portion 100 into the annular flange 101; the pins 105 terminating at their outer ends on the seat 102, and the pins 105 so intersecting the flange 101 that their longitudinal edges are exposed at the inner circumference of the annular flange 101, preferably flush or slightly projecting therefrom, in such relation that said edges of said contact pins 105 will be engaged by the arcuate or convex edge 84 of the rotor D, during the rotation of the latter, as illustrated in Figure 7, where the relation of parts described is shown.

.The cover plate body 100 has a lateral extension which projects beyond the outer circumference of the shell flange/19. and wires 111 are embedded in the body 100 of the detachable cover plate C, and extend into openings 112 provided inwardly from the convex edge 113 of the extension portion 110, where suitable conductors 114 have conducting connection therewith in any approved relation of parts; it being understood that the conductors 114 lead to theivarious spark taetspring 87, to place the contact83 in conducting relation with the central con construction B, to which is spark ogt'the tact $8, which has a wire 120, leading thru the extension 110, to any desired connection with the secondary winding-connection of the coils M or R, as will be subsequently described, 7

Inford'er that-the cover plate, C may always bear the same relation in its position upon theshell construction 33 with respect to the interrupter K and the timing. ofthe internal combustion engine upon which the distributer to used, is preferred to place ,a iietaining pin upon the cover plate C, embedded in the offset 110 outwardly of the annular terminal,supporting flange, 101, which is adapted to seat within a suitable, socket 126 provided inwardly of the outer edge of the flange 19 of the shell B, as illustratedin Figure 8 of the drawings. f In order to nio i ably retain the distributer in position upon the engine lasing 11, the conventional i which at one end (not shown) is attached to; the engine and atfthe opposite end 130 engages inn suitable depression in thecap G'to hold the shell and captin relation with r spect to the camshaft E, as illustrated in the drawings. I

,1 level ezgtension 131 is rigidly carried on .themetalcasing portio 12 of the shell pivotally connected any suitable operating mechanism by means of which to rotate the'timer construction to a limited degree to vary timing of the sametoretarding or advancing the engine, as can readily be understood by those slkilledin the art to which this invention relates In Figures 11 and 12. have been designated the manner in which the timer or d stribute is'used in circuit with the spark ph igsjofthe engine. conducting wires 114 t with the spark plugs The special type of non-vibratingcoil M is provided, h, ying a primary winding (not shown) with a suitable terminal 136 on said coil to which is connected the conductor 38o?! the stationary adjustable breaker point'tO. The opposite end of the primary winding. has a terminal 137 to which a suitable connecting win 2138 is connected, andwithinwhich wire 138 the battery S is positioned, hailing one terminal groi nded at 139. Asia; the operation of this vcircuit in conne tion, with he Yfi e crip In this connection the clamping. arm 128 is provided, 1

are suitably connected 1 ear tion, :the cam shaft. E upon rotation will operate to move the breaker points of the interrupter K apart at the same time that the rotor contact 83 rides into engagement with each of the contacts 105, tor the pur-s pose of providing-the induction in a'manner well understood in this art; it being'under stood that the rotary member D has its contact 83 connected bythe conductor 120 with the secondary winding terminal l ll whic h will be necessary tochange the retaining pin 25 from its location'ih the slotiio (if the cam member F to a. 62 in order to cause the cam member F to operate the breaker or interrupter K at the intervals between the operationof the rotary contact 83 on the sparkplug contacts 105,

and'when the rotary contact 83 engages the f spark plug contacts 105 of the distributer cap C, the interrupter K has its breaker point-s closed, in the relation illustrated in Figure 12 of: the drawings. Ofco'urse the primary winding. \terminal of the coil position in .the'opening His connected by the conductor .38 withrthe breaker point plate 30.; therotor contact 83 isfconnected by a vconductor 151 with the secondarywinding terminal 154 of the coil ligand; the other P T I ary winding terminal 155 of the coil '11 is connected with a conductor 156 within which thlefrnagneto 157 is located, or in'lieu. of the magneto a battery may be located in this. conductor 15.6.

From the'foregoing description of this inyention it is.) pparen'tthat a novel type or timer or distributer has been provided, which will operate the internal combustion engine in a most efiicient manner; the improved distributer embodyinga compact assemblage of easily operated'and accessible parts which will ermit or a variable use of different'types oi coils in connection with different types of'electro-dynamic machines and batteries, i i i Various changes in. the shape, size, and arrangement of parts; may be lllflfle to the forms of invention herein shown and described, without departing, from the spirit of the, same or the scope 0t the claims.

I claimz V I 1; In a timer construction thecolnbination of an operating shaft, a shell construction, meansmounted on the shell constructionprd vicling'aplurality of. contacts for connection with the diiferent. spark plugs of an internal combns'tion engine, rotor including. a con; tact adapted to successively enaage the, con fl ts-o th a m ntioned; means, a fi amen ter upter w s? s n e er] the in er up er,

too

a single key member for connecting both the cam device and the rotor to the operating shaft, said cam device having a plurality of openings which will permit of said key to connect the cam device on the operating shaft in a plurality of different positions with respect to the rotor contact so that it will operate the interrupter either during or at the interval between the engagemnt of the rotor contact with the other contacts.

2. In a distributer the combination of an operating shaft, a housing construction, a rotor, contact means carried by the rotor and housing construction for current distribution, an interrupter carried by the housing, cam means including a sleeve for receiving the shaft therein, said sleeve having a slot longitudinally therein from one end thereof and a transverse opening therethrough of different formation than the slot, the slot and opening being located in spaced relation about the sleeve in different relations With respect to the cam Which operates the interrupter, and detachable key means for connection in either the slot or opening and i= in the shaft for keying the sleeve to the shaft, said key means having a portion thereon for keying the rotor with the shaft in always the same relation with respect to the shaft.

3. In a distributer the combination of an operating shaft, a shell construction including a metal cylindrical body portion and an insulation portion provided with a socket therein, a rotor rotatably mounted in the socket having a recess therein, a cam detachably mounted on the shaft having a sleeve portion provided With a plurality of openings therein, a pin for detachable con nection in any of the openings of the sleeve of the cam for keying the cam on the shaft, said pin being adapted to be positioned in the recess of the rotor for also keying the same in place on the shaft, an interrupter for operation by the cam, and current distributing contacts carried by the rotor and the shell.

RUDOLPH LOCKSTEIN. 

